Red Raspberries
While there are other types of raspberries, the red ones are the kind most of us picture when we hear the word "raspberry." Their simple, matte red color makes them a lovely addition to all sorts of dishes, from muffins to salads.
I like them best one by one, out of my hand. Second best is this Raspberry Parfait.
Look for raspberries of all types in summer—as early as June in warmer areas, and into July and more temperate and cooler climates.
When raspberries ripen depends heavily on how winter and spring went (how much precipitation, when things warmed up, how warm it got and when).
Learn more at All About Raspberries.
Black Raspberries
Black raspberries (pictured here alongside their unripe, reddish selves), also known as "black caps," are my hands-down favorite berry.
Despite common mis-wisdom, black raspberries are not blackberries. They are deeply, darkly pigmented raspberries, with hollow cores that differentiate them from blackberries. Black raspberries are a bit drier, even more so than their red counterparts. Along with a wonderfully deep and intense berry flavor, black raspberries are also chock full of antioxidants – surpassing even the famed superfruit blueberry in antioxidant power.
Sadly, unless you live in Oregon, where something north of 90% of the commercial crop of black raspberries are grown, you may need to buy frozen black raspberries, rather than fresh. Not to worry, frozen berries are excellent in baked goods, and even work in no-bake items like this Raspberry Fool, where the raspberries mainly get mashed up anyways!
Golden raspberries are a beautiful, truly golden color. They are great for livening up a fruit plate, using as garnish in berry-laden dishes, or using in place of red raspberries when their color adds the right flare.
They have a gentler, less intense flavor than red raspberries. The milder taste makes them particularly lovely for snacking, since when they're eaten all on their own their delicate flavor and truly shine.
Wild raspberries tend to be smaller than cultivated raspberries, as evidenced by the side-by-side picture of wild and cultivated specimens here (cultivated are on the left, teeny tiny wild are on the right). They can be either more tart or more sweet, depending on the bramble, the season, the soil, and the climate. Their smaller size and usually tougher, or at least less reliable growing conditions means they tend to have better, more intense, brighter flavor than their cultivated counterparts.
Spotted a patch and want to go wild raspberry picking? Be sure to wear long pants, socks and shoes that cover your feet, and long sleeves, since raspberry bramble has plenty of thorns both large and small. Then hold your hand under a ripe berry. A mere slight pull—a nudge really—with your finger tips will dislodge truly ripe berries.
While there are other types of raspberries, the red ones are the kind most of us picture when we hear the word "raspberry." Their simple, matte red color makes them a lovely addition to all sorts of dishes, from muffins to salads.
I like them best one by one, out of my hand. Second best is this Raspberry Parfait.
Look for raspberries of all types in summer—as early as June in warmer areas, and into July and more temperate and cooler climates.
When raspberries ripen depends heavily on how winter and spring went (how much precipitation, when things warmed up, how warm it got and when).
Learn more at All About Raspberries.
Black Raspberries
Black raspberries (pictured here alongside their unripe, reddish selves), also known as "black caps," are my hands-down favorite berry.
Despite common mis-wisdom, black raspberries are not blackberries. They are deeply, darkly pigmented raspberries, with hollow cores that differentiate them from blackberries. Black raspberries are a bit drier, even more so than their red counterparts. Along with a wonderfully deep and intense berry flavor, black raspberries are also chock full of antioxidants – surpassing even the famed superfruit blueberry in antioxidant power.
Sadly, unless you live in Oregon, where something north of 90% of the commercial crop of black raspberries are grown, you may need to buy frozen black raspberries, rather than fresh. Not to worry, frozen berries are excellent in baked goods, and even work in no-bake items like this Raspberry Fool, where the raspberries mainly get mashed up anyways!
Golden raspberries are a beautiful, truly golden color. They are great for livening up a fruit plate, using as garnish in berry-laden dishes, or using in place of red raspberries when their color adds the right flare.
They have a gentler, less intense flavor than red raspberries. The milder taste makes them particularly lovely for snacking, since when they're eaten all on their own their delicate flavor and truly shine.
Wild raspberries tend to be smaller than cultivated raspberries, as evidenced by the side-by-side picture of wild and cultivated specimens here (cultivated are on the left, teeny tiny wild are on the right). They can be either more tart or more sweet, depending on the bramble, the season, the soil, and the climate. Their smaller size and usually tougher, or at least less reliable growing conditions means they tend to have better, more intense, brighter flavor than their cultivated counterparts.
Spotted a patch and want to go wild raspberry picking? Be sure to wear long pants, socks and shoes that cover your feet, and long sleeves, since raspberry bramble has plenty of thorns both large and small. Then hold your hand under a ripe berry. A mere slight pull—a nudge really—with your finger tips will dislodge truly ripe berries.
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